Jakobsson Commits to Elmira College

by Charles O'Brien, MJHL

High scoring forward is first MJHL commit of 2015-16

Release Date : 02/25/2016FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – The Metropolitan Junior Hockey League and the New Jersey Junior Titans organization are pleased to announce that All-Star forward Christoffer Jakobsson (Halmstad, Sweden) has committed to Elmira College for the 2016-17 season. The high-scoring forward leads the MJHL in points with 90 (50G 40A), which is tied for the fifth most in all of Tier III junior hockey. Jakobsson’s 50 goals also is the high-water mark for the MJHL and is tied for the second-most in Tier III juniors. “I have had a great experience this year and I’m really excited that Elmira wants me to play for them,” Jakobsson said. I can’t thank Coach Haviland, Coach Walker, Coach Wagenbach and the entire Junior Titans organization enough for preparing me for the next step in my playing career.”Born and raised in Halmstad, Sweden, Jakobsson came to the United States to play with the Titans organization after spending his playing career in the Swedish J20 SuperElit league.“The day we began to recruit Chris, he told us his goals were to play hockey in the NCAA and to receive an education from an American college,” said head coach Todd Wagenbach, Jr. said. “We assured him that if he put in the work and did his part that we would do the same and let him know that he was in the right place to accomplish his goal.”Immediately becoming an impact offensive player for the Titans, the rookie winger notched two assists in his first game in the United States and had a 23-game point streak earlier this season. Jakobsson gained national notoriety for his 13-point weekend against the Connecticut Nighthawks (January 2-3), which included 10 goals, the highest total over any two-game stretch this season in the MJHL.“After scoring more than 80 points in less than 40 games, and working out daily at our facility in Middletown, it was clear that Chris had done his part,” Wagenbach added. “We at the Junior Titans had also done our part by making sure he was on the radar of college coaches.”“There were a number of NCAA programs that were interested and Elmira was at the top of Chris’ list and Elmira showed him that the feeling is mutual,” Wagenbach continued. “Elmira is a great school with a great hockey program, and therefore is a tremendous opportunity for Chris, and knowing him the way I do, it’s clear that Elmira is where he belongs.”Jakobsson crossed the 50-goal mark with a second period marker against the Central Penn Panthers on February 22. There had not been a 50-goal scorer in the MJHL since Long Island Royals forward Frank DiChiara (Ronkonkoma, NY/Yale) had 57 in the 2010-11 season.“When I came to the United States to play junior hockey, I never imagined that I would have a 50-goal season,” Jakobsson said. “Coach told me [that] with my quick release and accuracy, I needed to start shooting the puck more from outside the dots while in stride, to catch goalies off guard. It worked immediately and I began scoring goals almost every game.”“I’ve worked extremely hard this season, both on and off the ice, and I am very happy with the results,” he added.

“Scoring 50 goals in a season at any level of hockey is quite a feat that not many players will ever accomplish,” Wagenbach added. “To watch Chris do it this season with such grace and humility was a real pleasure and I’m proud to say that I was his coach when he did it. He’s a special player and a special person and I wish him the best of luck in his future and I’m especially looking forward to watching him score a few more goals over the next four years at Elmira.”Jakobsson is the first commitment from the Metropolitan Junior Hockey League this season.Founded by former New York Rangers General Manager Emile Francis and celebrating its 50th year of existence, making it the longest USA Hockey-sanctioned Junior hockey league in the United States, the Metropolitan Junior Hockey League has a membership of 15 teams spread across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions and prides itself on player development for athletes ages 16-20 who aspire to reach higher levels of junior, collegiate and professional hockey.For more information on the MJHL, logo onto http://www.mjhl.net or on Twitter @The_MJHL or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheMJHL